Holy Family Sunday - Year A

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READING I
Sirach 3:2-7, 12-14

It is from God that parents are given authority over their children. Thus the rewards are great for children who honor their parents. This reading speaks to young children and to adults. As people are living longer, many adults find themselves responsible for elderly parents. At times there even seems to be a sort of role reversal. Still, the command to show respect for parents does not change --"even if his mind fail." This is both a supportive and challenging message.

READING II
Colossians 3:12-21

First Paul gives Christians specific virtues to live by -- compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. He then asks for love, forgiveness, and a sense of peacefulness. All of this, Paul adds, is to be done in the name of Jesus. This presents both a challenge and a clear guideline for Christians to follow. Fathers, in particular, are called to support their children so they do not lose heart. This reading to the people of Colossae also includes the troublesome reference to a wife's subordination to her husband. In first century Palestine, it was probably quite startling to hear a command for husbands to love their wives avoiding any bitterness. At that time, women were considered property. So, Paul was probably in as much "hot water" then as he finds himself today. The reading must be taken in the context of when it was written and the message of love and concern for family members that Paul is trying to get across.

GOSPEL
Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

On this feast of the Holy Family, we witness the challenges to a family's well being. Because of imminent danger from King Herod, Jesus' family must leave Bethlehem hastily and travel to the land of Egypt. Once the danger is removed, the family is again directed to move, this time to return to the land of Israel. We are told they settle in Nazareth of Galilee. Today, many families move from place to place, some by choice. Many however move to follow job possibilities, because of changes in economic status, or family composition. There must be some comfort in knowing that long ago another family survived similar challenges.

Sometimes it takes sheer faith to get through difficult circumstances. Focus this week on challenges to family life. Is there a family you can be supportive of this week? Maybe even your own?

The readings this week concern families. Think about your own family. Have you had some difficult times together? What can you do to help your family this week? Pray to the Holy Family for guidance.

December 30 - Bl. John Alcober
Bl. John Alcober served 16 years as a Dominican missionary in China. He was martyred in 1748. On this day in 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized him.

December 31 - St. Sylvester I
Today we honor St. Sylvester I, who was pope during the early fourth century. He worked hard to keep the Church independent of the government. Pope Sylvester was the first person honored as saint who was not a martyr.

January 1 - Mary, Mother of God
The Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Throughout the church year we celebrate many events relating to Mary, but today we celebrate her motherhood. Today God's people traditionally join to pray for world peace.

January 2 - SS. Basil and Gregory
SS. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen were two important scholars and teachers of the early Church. Basil laid the foundation for today's religious communities. Gregory was Basil's boyhood friend. Gregory was appointed a bishop because he was a wonderful theologian, but he retired after only a few weeks because he enjoyed the contemplative life far more. Both bishops have been named doctors of the Church.

January 3 - St. Genevieve
St. Genevieve was a strong and courageous leader of fifth century France who saved her city from war and starvation. In the cold of winter, during an invasion of Paris by the Franks, she led a convoy to run the blockade of the city, bringing back food for the starving citizens.

January 4 - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Elizabeth Ann Seton was the mother of five young children when her husband died. She joined the Catholic Church, and soon after began the first Catholic schools in the United States. She founded the Sisters of Charity and was well known for her work among the poor. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton became the first American-born saint in 1975.

January 5 - St. John Neumann
Born in Bohemia, now the Czech Republic, John Nepomucene Neumann traveled to America in hopes of becoming a priest. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest in 1836 and served as pastor of a church in a small New York town. St. John Neumann started many churches and Catholic schools. As the bishop of Philadelphia he organized a diocesan Catholic school system. He spoke 12 languages. In 1977, he became the first American man to be canonized.

January 5 - St. Genoveva Torres Morales
By the time she was eight, Genoveva's parents and four of her five siblings had died. She lived in Spain with her older brother and was a homemaker for him. Due to gangrene, her left leg was amputated when she was a young teenager. She then lived with a religious community as a layperson, sewing and helping the poor. Genoveva began the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Angels. These women worked tirelessly helping other women. St. Genoveva died in 1956.

Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling, an English novelist and poet, was born in India on this day in 1865. He is most famous for his children's stories, such as Jungle Book and Just So Stories. He also wrote many books and poems for adults.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception- Year A

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READING I
Genesis 3:9-15, 20

The original fall of human beings occurred with Adam and Eve. This story in Genesis, while not literally true, was developed to help God’s people understand how they were born with sin. Because of our first parents, Adam and Eve, evil is in our lives. For Adam and Eve, the serpent was the tempter. For us, we call the tempter Satan or Devil. God planned for Adam and Eve to live happily in the garden. Because they willingly disobeyed God, their lives became much harder.

READING II
Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

GOSPEL
Luke 1:26-38

At first Mary was afraid when God’s angel, Gabriel, came to her. The angel must have calmed her enough for her to hear the news that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, she would give birth to God’s son. Mary doesn’t understand this news exactly, but she recognizes it as the will and work of God. Therefore, she simply agrees to obey God. The angel gives Mary even more astonishing news when he informs her that her cousin, Elizabeth, and older woman well beyond child-bearing years, is also expecting a baby.

Who are some people you know or know about who are chosen to do a difficult job? How are these people like Mary? What can we know about Mary’s devotion to God from this reading? How is your faith like Mary’s? Are there things God asks you to do that you would rather not? How do you have the strength to do them anyway?

What are some of the things God asks us to do? Why is it hard to do some of the things we know God wants us to do? Name one thing you can do to change something that stops you from saying “yes” to God.

The Holy Innocents
Today we remember the Holy Innocents. When Herod heard from the Magi that a new king was born in Bethlehem, he sent soldiers to kill all infant boys two years of age and younger in that area.

Poor Richard's Almanac
Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richard's Almanac on this day in 1732. This book contains weather forecasts, recipes, and wise sayings. Some of Franklin's sayings include, "A good conscience is a continual Christmas," "Half a truth is a great lie," and "Honesty is the best policy." What wise sayings could you create to share with others?

Feast of the Epiphany - Year A

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READING I
Isaiah 60:1-6

An epiphany is a manifestation, or showing. Isaiah speaks of Jerusalem shining forth as a manifestation of God's goodness for all nations to recognize. Descendants of Abraham come from nations far away to bring gifts, praising God. This Old Testament story fits in well with the way we envision the visit of the Magi.

READING II
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

The main objective of this letter is to stress the revelation of God's word to everyone. The Israelites were the first, through Abraham, to hear God's message. Now that message is spreading to the Gentiles as well. Here they are called coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise of Christ.

GOSPEL
Matthew 2:1-12

In today's Gospel, Matthew continues the emphasis on the revelation of Jesus to all peoples. The Magi represent for Matthew, the Gentile nations. It is tradition rather than Scripture that identifies the Magi as three, as kings, and has one of them described as black. Tradition helps us to visualize this message of Christ's manifestation to the world. Both Scripture and tradition encourage us to be accepting of all peoples.

Isaiah, Paul, and Matthew all encourage us to make Christ known to others. Who are you willing to share the Good News with this week?

The readings all center on people coming together because of Jesus. Is there someone you can renew a friendship with this week?

St. Raphaela Maria Porras
Raphaela and her sister Dolores became part of the community, Handmaids of the Sacred Heart in 1877. This organization was devoted to teaching children and helping at retreats. Raphaela served for a time as mother general of the congregation. Pope Paul VI canonized her in 1977.

January 7 - St. Raymond of Penafort
St. Raymond of Penafort was a Dominican priest who lived in Spain. He was a teacher and writer remembered for collecting and publishing church documents and for establishing schools for the teaching of Arabic and Hebrew. St. Raymond, the patron saint of lawyers, was about 100 years old when he died in 1275.

January 8 - St. Apollinaris
Today we remember St. Apollinaris, a bishop who lived in the second century. He was known for his miracles and his teachings in defense of Christianity.

January 9 - St. Philip of Moscow
St. Philip of Moscow, a bishop and agricultural engineer designed new irrigation systems. Philip was bishop during the reign of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) who killed anyone he suspected of not supporting his politics. Philip spoke against the killing, though he knew he would die for doing so.

January 10 - St. Peter Orseolo
St. Peter Orseolo was a very successful Italian statesman, whose job was to restore order to Venice. In 978, Peter left this influential job to become a Benedictine monk.

January 10 - St. John Camillus, the Good
John served as Bishop of Milan, Italy. He taught against heresies of the seventh century. Because of his holiness, people called him "the good."

January 11 - St. Leonie Frances de Sales Aviat
Leonie Aviat founded the Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales as one way of helping young women working in factories. St. Leonie Frances de Sales guided the community as it expanded from France to Europe, South America, and Africa until her death in 1914 in Italy.

January 12 - St. Benedict Biscop
We remember St. Benedict Biscop, a priest of the early Church, who lived in northern England. He built wonderful libraries and brought a teacher from Rome to teach his monks to sing in the Roman style.

George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver was born in 1864 to parents who were in slavery. He became one of America’s most famous scientists, discovering hundreds of uses for peanuts and soybeans and other farm products of the southern United States. He taught at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord - Year A

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READING I
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

The theme of epiphany continues. God introduces his servant to the world. In this first reading, the servant addressed is Isaiah. However, it is also a call to anyone who would serve in God's name. On this day celebrating Jesus' baptism we realize that it applies to him as well. Jesus has come to serve, to provide a light to the world, to bring justice.

READING II
Acts 10: 34-35

Up to this point Peter continues to live according to Jewish law. This means that he does not eat with Gentiles who eat meat that Jews considered "unclean." He has preached only to Jews. Today's reading begins in the middle of a story -- Cornelius, a Gentile, has a vision that tells him to seek out Peter. Peter also has a vision that instructs him to meet with Cornelius. Our reading opens with Peter's words to the people gathered at the house of Cornelius. Peter's message here is a complete change for him. He comes to realize that Jesus is to be revealed to the whole world. Jews and Gentiles can gather together and be a part of this new Christianity.

GOSPEL
Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus asks John the Baptist to baptize him. John hesitates, perhaps with concern that he is not worthy to baptize the Son of God. At any rate, Jesus assures him it must be done to fulfill "all righteousness." With the words of the Father, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," Jesus is presented to the whole world. Once again we are assured that Jesus will reach out to everyone. The message given first to the Jews is now being shared with everyone through Christ Jesus.

Today, as diversity within our Church increases, we, too, have the opportunity to share the Word with everyone. It took quite a bit of adjustment for Peter and other early followers of Jesus to accept Gentiles into their faith community. How will you be a part of opening your faith community to people of other ethnic and cultural backgrounds? It is a wonderful opportunity!

The Catholic Church is open to everyone. As a Catholic Christian are you willing to be friendly to others -- even those who may speak a different language or look different from you? Pray that you may be welcoming to others.

St. Hilary of Poitiers
Today we honor St. Hilary, a bishop of Poiters, France during the fourth century. Hilary was largely responsible for the acceptance of the Nicene Creed in Western Europe. He had been married and had children prior to his conversion to Christianity. St. Hilary is known for his writings on the Trinity and was named a Doctor of the Church in 1851.

January 14 - St. Felix of Nola
St. Felix was the son of a wealthy Roman soldier. He was known for his humility and poverty of spirit, having donated his inheritance to the poor. He declined the honor of becoming Bishop of Nola (near Naples, Italy), preferring instead to work among the poor. After his death in A.D. 260, many miracles are said to have taken place at his tomb.

January 14 - St. Macrina the Elder
Macrina lived during the time of the Diocletian persecution in the fourth century. She was the grandmother of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, St. Basil, and St. Macrina the Younger. She is the patron of those living in poverty and those who seek to end it.

January 15 - St. Ita
Today we remember St. Ita, an Irish woman who was a teacher and the abbess (or spiritual leader) of a monastery. She died around the year 570, and because she was an abbess, she was buried wearing the miter and long cape of a bishop.

January 15 - St. Arnold Janssen
In 1861, Arnold was ordained a priest and became a high school teacher of mathematics and natural sciences. In 1875 in Holland, Fr. Janssen founded the Society of the Divine Word to provide priests and lay brothers for the missions. He also founded the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters and the contemplative order, Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration. Fr. Janssen insisted that his seminarians learn about the cultures of the populations they would be serving.

January 16 - St. Berard and Companions
We remember St. Berard and his companions who were sent to Morocco by St. Francis to preach the Gospel to the Muslims. At first the people there tolerated them because they thought they were sick, but when the brothers would not go away, they were put to death. They were the first Franciscan martyrs.

January 17 - St. Anthony
This is the feast of St. Anthony, Abbot, who is considered the founder of monasticism. People often went to St. Anthony for advice. He lived to be over 100 years old.

January 17 - St. Henry de Osso y Cervello
Father Henry was born in Spain in 1840. His father wished for him to join the family clothing business. However, Henry felt a call to religious life and went to live at the Monastery of Our Lady of Montserrat. He was ordained a priest and evangelized others through his preaching, spirituality, and writings. He founded the Teresian Apostolic Movement to teach children and youth about St. Teresa of Jesus.

January 18 - St. Jaime Hilarie Barbal
Jaime was born in Spain in 1898. He joined the Brothers of the Christian Schools when he was 19. He was a great teacher and catechist. But, because of severe hearing problems in his early thirties, he had to retire. He then served as a gardener. During the Spanish Civil War he was imprisoned and killed.

January 19 - St. John Sebastian Pelczar
A professor, priest, and later bishop, John Sebastian Pelczar lived in Poland during the nineteenth century. He set up libraries, schools, and religious organizations. As bishop, Pelczar gave special attention to raising the moral and intellectual awareness of the clergy.

January 19 - St. Wulfstan
St. Wulfstan was a bishop and reformer in England during the eleventh century. During his tenure as bishop, he rebuilt the cathedral in Worcester, cared for the poor, and helped his people survive the harsh rulings of the Normans following their conquest of England.

First Public Radio Broadcast
The world's first radio broadcast to the public happened on this day in 1910 from New York City, ushering in the era of radio communication.